2005 Maryland Terrapins Basketball Preview

2005 Maryland Terrapins Team Preview

The big question for the Maryland Terrapins (a terrapin is
a turtle) is which team will show up? It was sort of a tortoise
and the hare situation last season with the Terrapins who missed
the NCAA Tournament last year for the first time since 1993.
Sometimes Maryland was the tortoise—defeating the soon-to-be
National Champions Duke twice-- and then they were the hare—losing
three times to Clemson, a team they should have beaten three
times! They were a team that was unpredictable in the worst
way—you never knew who was going to show up. And this
season for the most part this is the same Maryland team that
fans saw last year with four starters and six others coming
back.

The one starter who did not return, guard John Gilchrist, may
be as important as the four who are back with the club. Gilchrist
gave the Terrapins 13.9 PPG, 5.1 RPG, and 5.5 APG. But Gilchrist
left Maryland early and with a bitter taste in his mouth; the
talented guard felt more beat up off the court — often
being blamed for the team’s game inconsistencies—than
on the court.

It will be up to senior starting guard Sterling Ledbetter to
take up the slack. Ledbetter’s shooting percentages from
the court and the line are almost identical to his former teammate’s,
but his three-point percentage is a full fifteen points lower.
Still because of his ability to share the ball, Ledbetter may
not need that three-pointer.
A few elements making Maryland a force on the court include
a backcourt with defensive prowess and height (each player is
6’ 4” or taller); one of the best two-way players
in the ACC in senior guard Chris McCray, and a senior class
frontcourt that seemed to score at will last year.

In 2004-05 McCray averaged 14.1 points and 4.3 rebounds per
game, while 6’-8” senior forward Nik Caner-Medley
threw in 16.0 points and 6.2 rebounds a contest. That’s
impressive production and it should be even more impressive
this season.

With better defense, a sound passer in Ledbetter, and veteran
players chances are this Doctor Jekyll/Mister Hyde team of last
year will find its rhythm and tempo early on in the season and
with that a positive consistency on the court.

2005 ACC Hoops Previews

Listed below are
all 12 teams of the atlantic coast conference. If you click
on any of the team links you will be taken to the individual
teams team preview. You may click on the ACC
Preview link to return to the Atlantic Coast conference
main page anytime.